Once Upon A Time
by Treece
Summary: Yes, it's a new chapter! And we're getting close to the end. It's just another one of those occurances that can only happen on the Plateau.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Once Upon a Time

Author: Treece

Rating: Umm...let's go with PG for now. It should be pretty safe for everyone.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, neither the The Lost World nor it's wonderful characters belong to me. I'm only borrowing them, and I'll return them just as soon as I wrestle Ned away from my best friend.

Timeline: Sometime during a theoretical season 4. Because Finn is still with us and Ned's finally wandered himself home.

Author's Note: Wow, let's change this a little bit since we're due for an update. I first uploaded this story, oh let's see...**nine** **months ago! **Then some stuff happened (real life, computer trouble, creative issues - the usual culprits). I've done some editing/tweaking of the exisiting text and I'd forgotten how to work some of the Fanfic functions, so I decided to just repost the whole thing. And I've finally managed to post a new chapter. So hurray for that.

As for the title...well, it sort of makes sense at a later point in the story. Hopefully. Besides, it's the best my beta and I could come up with at 2 in the morning.

_Tap…tap…tap._

_Tap…tap…tap._

_Tap…tap…tap._

Marguerite Krux signed noisily and shifted in her chair as she tried to ignore the incessant sound coming from across the room.

_Tap…tap…tap._

_Tap…tap…tap._

_Tap…tap…tap._

She resettled herself and once again tried to concentrate on her book. She only got through a page before the noise picked up in intensity.

_Tap…tap… tap-tap-tap…tap. _

_Tap…tap…tap-tap-tap…tap._

_Tap…tap…tap-tap-tap…tap._

Counting to ten in French, Latin and Chinese, she glared over the top of her book at the source of her irritation. Ned Malone was sitting at the table under the pretense of working on his journal. However, for the past half hour, he'd been vacantly staring at the jungle and occasionally tapping his pencil. The tapping had become a constant sound in the past five minutes, and was quickly becoming unbearable. Marguerite thoughtfully studied her book, carefully weighing the pros and cons of throwing it at him. As she reached the conclusion that stopping the irritating behavior was worth any consequence, he abruptly stopped.

"Do you hear that?" he asked, addressing her for the first time all afternoon. She raised her eyebrow in annoyance at his behavior, which he missed because his attention was once again focused outside.

"Hear what?"

To her irritation, he didn't answer. Instead, Ned motioned for quiet as he stood up and walked out onto the balcony. She watched as he leaned out over the edge in an attempt to isolate some sound.

"That," he exclaimed. "Do you hear that?"

Marguerite closed the book and glared at her housemate. Realizing that it would be far easier to humor Ned's strange behavior than to argue with him, she sighed and closed her eyes. She strained to hear whatever it was he was listening to. She could vaguely hear Challenger tinkering in his lab, the soft rustle of the roof as the light breeze brushed across it, and a familiar birdcall in the distance. "I don't hear anything," she declared as folded her arms across her chest.

Ned looked shocked at her statement. "You're serious? You really can't hear it?"

She scowled at him in response. "Yes, I'm serious. I don't hear anything."

"How can you not hear that?" Ned said leaning further over the railing.

Marguerite threw the book onto a nearby table as she stood up and stomped towards him. "What I hear is you attempting to make me insane," she snapped, tiring of his game.

"I'm serious, Marguerite!"

"So am I!"

Ned looked at her skeptically. "You really don't hear that music?"

"This place has finally really gotten to you," Marguerite said, disgustedly shaking her head. As she started to turn away, Ned grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her toward him. "Malone!"

He held up a hand to silence her as he led her out onto the balcony. "Listen," he commanded. "Do you hear it now?"

Marguerite's caustic retort died on her lips as she heard the faint strains of music coming from the jungle below. Her scowl softened as she looked at him in confusion. Without thinking, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the mesmerizing music. Like a siren's song, the melody seemed to beckon her out into the jungle, promising an unimaginable reward once the source was reached. There was something tantalizingly…familiar about it, but she couldn't remember where or when she had heard it before. As she let the sounds wash over her, all of her anger and irritation disappeared, replaced by an overwhelming sense of contentment and well-being. Slowly, she began to sway in time with the music.

Ned's hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality. He grinned at her knowingly before he turned back to the jungle. "I'm going to go and find out where it's coming from."

"Not without me you're not. Grab our gear while I let Challenger know we're leaving."

Marguerite skipped over to the landing overlooking the lab and watched Challenger work, making sure she didn't interrupt anything important. "Challenger," she called down when she was sure it was safe, "Ned and I are going to look for the music. We'll be back later."

Challenger grunted and waved in acknowledgement as he recorded information. Satisfied that he was aware they were leaving, Marguerite joined Ned in the elevator.

"You have the supplies?" she asked, looking at his empty hands. The music beckoned to her, seeming to grow in volume while sweeping away the feeling of misgiving she had at the lack of equipment. She knew they needed more, but the music promised safety and security.

"Yup," he answered confidently, patting the single canteen he wore over his shoulder. "I have everything we'll need." With a rakish grin, Ned threw the switch to lower the elevator.

Something about his answer seemed off to her, but Marguerite pushed the thought from her mind as the jungle's song pounded in her veins. "Oh, okay."

Well, interested? Should I post the next chapter?


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: In this chapter, I used a slightly modified Sixth Challenge Paragraph from The Lost World Fix website. It's a great site, and if you haven't ever been, I highly recommend it.

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"I'm home!" Veronica cheerfully called as the elevator rumbled into view. As nice as visiting the Zanga was, it was good to be home again. She smiled as she removed her pouch and hung it on the equipment rack, listening for the replies of the others. "Challenger? Ned? Hello…" she called again when no one answered her. Surprised by the lack of replies, she wandered further into the kitchen area. She spotted Ned's abandoned journal on the table, pages rustling in the light breeze. Veronica began to worry, knowing that he never left his journals laying about if it could be helped. "Hello, is anyone here? Ned?"

As if in response, a muffled explosion sounded in down in Challenger's lab. She spun in the direction of the noise and noticed smoke billowing from the lab. With a knowing grin, she trotted over to the ledge and looked down.

Challenger stood in the middle of the smoke cloud, vigorously waving his hand in front of his face as he surveyed the remains of his experiment. "That was unexpected," he muttered to himself. "One of these days, I really must put a window in down here."

"I don't know if that will help," Veronica teased as she rested against the railing.

"Veronica! I didn't realize you were home!" Challenger grinned up at the blonde. "Did you have a nice visit with Assai?" he asked as he hunted for a pencil.

"I just came in when you had you little...accident," she answered, motioning at the still smoking mess on the table. "Yes, I had a very nice time. Everyone sends their regards. Assai also reminded me of a Zanga legend she thought Ned might like for his journals. I thought maybe he was down here with you. Where is everyone?"

"Oh, Roxton took Finn hunting. They should be back in a day or two. Marguerite and Ned are around here somewhere," he said as he finally found one and began recording information.

Veronica looked over her shoulder at the kitchen table, a sense of unease growing in the pit of her stomach. "Well, he's not there now."

He stopped writing, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Oh, wait a moment. Ah, I recall talking to Marguerite about…something. She said something about them going out."

"Are you sure? Their equipment is upstairs." Veronica frowned. Something about this situation didn't seem right. "Did they mention where they were going? Maybe I can catch up with them, or at least meet them on the way home."

"I think they mentioned something about finding a noise."

"A noise?"

"Yes, I believe she said something about music although I can't be sure. My experiment was at a critical stage," Challenger explained as he perused the calculations again. He was sure the numbers were perfect when he began.

"Music?" The uneasy feeling became stronger as memories of her time with the insane musician Ducart began. "Think Challenger! How long ago was that," she impatiently demanded.

Challenger looked up from the page, Veronica's distressed tone finally getting his attention. "Well, let's see...the initial reaction was just starting to occur, so I'd say at least a couple of hours ago."

Veronica glanced out the window. "They've been gone for a couple of hours and they said they'd be right back," she said, struggling to keep her voice under control.

"I'm sure they're fine. They're both capable adults Veronica," he said, attempting to soothe her.

Veronica's uneasiness turned into full-blown fear as she realized what was bothering her. She looked down at Challenger, her eyes widening in horror. "They have no guns!" she blurted out.

"What!"

"They have no guns!" she repeated frantically. "When I put my things away, I noticed that the only things missing from the storage area were Roxton's and Finn's. Where ever Ned and Marguerite went, they didn't take anything with them."

Challenger dropped his pencil and rushed upstairs. "We must go look for them. Quickly, before we lose any more light."

Veronica raced to grab some supplies while Challenger got his gun and pack. Without a word, the two entered the elevator and descended to begin the search for their friends.

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Veronica picked up their trail as soon as she stepped off the elevator. For nearly half an hour, the pair of explorers followed their friends' aimlessly meandering and occasionally circling trail.

"Look at this," Veronica said as she pointed at the trail. "This is the third backtrack in five minutes. What were they thinking? Look at this trail, it just wanders all over the jungle. Now they're just going 'round and 'round in circles until their tracks end here." She sighed, frustrated and scared. She wished Roxton was here. Maybe this trail would make sense to the hunter.

Challenger grunted in response as he studied the surrounding terrain. A sudden prickling sensation ran down his spine. He had learned the hard way not to ignore that sixth sense. But there were no variations in the usual sounds that filled the jungle - No, wait! Was that a flash of movement off to the left? Yes, there it was again, barely a glimpse visible through the dense underbrush. But nothing could have prepared him for what emerged from the shrubs.

A small child rolled out of the growth, shrieking with laughter. Picking herself up, she shouted at the opening she tumbled out of in a language he didn't recognize, and plunged back in. He looked at Veronica in surprise. "Did you see that?"

She nodded, and without a word, followed the little girl through the bush. Challenger hesitated for a moment before following her. The last thing he saw was Veronica sneeze before his own sneezing fit began and the world went dark.

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To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Slowly, Challenger climbed back towards consciousness. He tried to sit up but his limbs were heavy and unresponsive. _Well, I'm not dead_, he thought as a small but sharp rock dug into his back. He tried flexing his fingers again but felt only pins and needles. He heard light steps approach him and stop as someone crouched down beside him. A small hand began repeatedly patting his cheek, and each pat became sharper until it felt like he was being slapped. The patting stopped as suddenly as it began. Before he could respond to the assault, his eye was pried open, and a shaft of bright light blinded him. A big, blurry, blue…thing filled his vision. Abruptly, his eye was released.

"No, they're still sleeping," a child announced. Challenger heard it step back and settle in the grass. "Big people sure do sleep for a long time," the child declared with a sigh.

He waited for several minutes, listening for signs that others were near and waiting for the feeling to return to his limbs. Finally, when Challenger was sure it was fairly safe, he sat up with a groan. As he sat up, the child scrambled away and he got a good view of his small tormentor.

The boy couldn't have been more than four or five years old. His blue eyes were impossibly big at he stared at Challenger in surprise. His blonde hair was in wild disarray and appeared to have half of the jungle's vegetation stuck in it. His formerly white shirt; at least, Challenger thought it _might_ have been white, was several sizes too large and hopelessly stained.

A cough from nearby distracted them, and Challenger turned to see Veronica trying to roll onto her back. He hurried to her side and helped her sit up. "How do you feel?" Challenger asked as he handed her his canteen.

Veronica shakily took it and swallowed a few sips. "Like I got stepped on by a T-Rex. What happened?"

"I'm not sure myself, but we seem to have found a new friend," he answered, motioning at the boy who had crept closer to Veronica. She smiled at him, and the boy smiled back. Encouraged by this, Veronica motioned him closer. "Hi, I'm Veronica and this is Challenger. What's your name?"

"You're pretty," the boy declared as he studied her.

"Thank you," Veronica said with an embarrassed grin. "Where are your parents?"

"I dunno," he said with a careless shrug. He pointed at the trion pendant she was wearing. "What's that?"

"It's a necklace. Are you here all by yourself?"

He looked down at his bare feet and sighed dejectedly. "I dunno. The others were here, waiting to play with us. Then you scared them away. It was such a _good_ game too. Now the game is over. Since the others are gone, will you play with us now?" he asked hopefully.

Veronica decided to try another tactic. "Sure, we'll play with you," she said as Challenger helped her to her feet. "But I don't know what to call you."

"I'm Edward, but Uncle Mike said Edward is too big of a name for someone as small as me. He calls me Ned. But I'm not small. I'm big. I'm five," he proudly announced, holding up five fingers.

"Ned?" Veronica repeated, staring down at him. "Ned Malone?"

"Yeah," the boy chirped cheerfully. "That's my name. How'd you know?"

"Your name is Edward T. Malone?" she asked, sharing a shocked look with Challenger.

The boy nodded. "Uh huh."

Veronica grabbed Challenger's arm, looking a bit faint. "Is this possible? Could Ned have been turned into a little boy?" she whispered, unable to hide the panic in her voice.

"Stranger things have happened to us," Challenger said, patting her hand reassuringly. He crouched down to look the boy in the eye. "If you're Ned Malone, where is Marguerite?"

"Right there," Ned said as if he was pointing out the obvious. Challenger and Veronica looked in the direction he was pointing, and noticed another child sitting in the shadow of one of the bushes.

Veronica cautiously walked over, taking in the child. As she got closer, she noticed that it was the same little girl who had caught their attention by diving through the bushes. It was no wonder both she and Challenger missed seeing her until now. Her dark, curly hair spilled over her shoulders and ended at her waist, allowing her to blend into the lengthening shadows. She was dressed like Ned in a much too large shirt. Next to her was a pile of items that Veronica recognized as Ned and Marguerite's. Any doubts she had to the identity of the girl vanished when the little girl looked up. A five-year-old Marguerite Krux absently played with her familiar gold locket as she gazed at Veronica.

"Hi," Veronica said as she crouched down in front of Marguerite.

Marguerite pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Hi."

Veronica carefully watched Marguerite for any sign of recognition. "Do you remember me?"

Marguerite shook her head and nervously chewed on a strand of hair. "It figures," Veronica sighed to herself. Looking over her shoulder at Challenger, she noticed Ned galloping towards her.

"Hi," he panted as he skidded to a stop next to Marguerite. "Guess what! Mister Challenger says that they have a tree house and they want us to come and see it. A real tree house. Way high up in the air! We'll have to ride in an ellelator to get to the top!"

Marguerite leaned over and whispered to Ned as Challenger approached them. Veronica stood up and gave him an apprehensive look. "What are we going to do?" she asked in a low voice.

"We have to get them back to the tree house. Maybe I can run some tests and figure out what's going on," he explained as he watched the children. Ned was loudly expounding the merits of 'going adventuring with Mr. Challenger' to a dubious looking Marguerite.

"What if this is something we can't fix?" Veronica questioned as she kept an eye on her two small friends. She had spent her whole life on the Plateau, and she had never heard of anything like this ever happening.

Challenger noticed Marguerite was intently watching him, and he tried to look as harmless as possible. "Either way," he said, still smiling at Marguerite, "it's getting dark, and we can't simply leave them here." He waited for Veronica to nod in agreement before clapping his hands and looking at the children. "So, why don't we go to the tree house and get something to eat, eh?"

Ned nodded vigorously and after a moment, Marguerite also nodded. Veronica held out her hands to them, and she soon had a little hand in each of hers. The group slowly and cautiously headed for home.

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TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Well, this has taken far longer than I expected. g I apologize for the long wait. I know there's nothing more frustrating than reading a story that the author never finishes. I have every intention of finishing this story. Eventually.

Especially if I can control my tendency for starting a story, then going back and nitpicking it to death rather than continuing on with it. As I've done with this story.

Thankfully, my beta has given me a swift kick to the hind quarters. So things will get rolling again. Hopefully, I'll be more expedient in posting in the future. In the mean time, after a very long pause, here's Chapter 4.

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"Finally," Finn groaned dramatically as the tree house came into view. She picked up her pace and jogged ahead of Roxton on the familiar, well-worn path. "I hope there's some breakfast left or I swear, I'm gonna eat my foot off."

Roxton grinned at her antics as she skipped towards home. Although he had missed having Marguerite accompany him, he was glad Finn had volunteered to go with him to the far side of the Plateau to gather some much needed plants for Challenger and do some hunting. The trip gave Finn an opportunity to work on tracking skills, and unlike Marguerite, she had no complaints about sleeping on the ground and eating trail rations. However, after three days, even Finn was ready for the comforts of home. Overall, it had been a very successful trip. They found everything on their list, and just this morning, they bagged a small wild pig which would be greatly appreciated once they got it home. Nearly everyone was tired of raptor meat. "It's much closer to lunch than it is to breakfast," he warned as she snorted dismissively.

"Yeah, but I know that breakfast is edible. I'm hungry and I don't want to have to wait until tomorrow to eat," she explained as she turned to face him. Walking backwards, she maintained her brisk pace. "Vee or Ned usually make breakfast, so it tastes good. But tonight is Challenger's night for cooking. And I love the guy and all, but somehow, he makes dinner seem like one of his experiments."

"Experiments?" Roxton asked, valiantly trying to keep his expression serious but failing. Unlike Finn, he had seen some of Challenger's early cooking attempts, including the slightly infamous 'chicken soup' recipe. Those first few nights had produced some truly spectacular results. At least now Challenger managed to focus solely on keeping an eye on the food rather than wandering back into his lab. Unable to stop himself, Roxton teasingly drawled, "But Finn, you always have a hearty appetite on George's nights to cook."

Finn rolled her eyes at him, unwilling to let the challenge slide. "This from the man who 'happily' eats Marguerite's cooking." She laughed at his sheepish expression as she approached the gate and lifted the latch. "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, big guy. Especially since you eat Marguerite's cookies and those things could pass for rocks."

"She's gotten better," he protested, knowing it sounded slightly hollow even to him. He inwardly cringed, hoping Marguerite hadn't heard them approach as Finn began to howl with laughter. She was nearly doubled over as she crossed into the yard.

"Better? Better!" she gasped in between peals of laughter. "Oh man, if she's better now, I'm glad I wasn't here in the beginning." Roxton opened his mouth to defend his beloved when a small boy came racing around the trunk of the tree raced into view, heading straight towards Finn.

Finn stopped dead in her tracks as the boy came darting around the base of the tree, laughing manically as he looked over his shoulder. She noticed that he was heading straight for them. "Hey, stop!" she shouted as she instinctively reached down to catch him.

The boy whipped his head around and gasped as he noticed the people in his path. He shifted his weight, trying to slow himself and void the impending collision. However, speed and momentum were not on his side. He tripped over his own feet, and managed to roll himself into a ball as he fell. He tumbled forward, bumping into Finn's legs as he came to a stop. "Owww," he whined as he unfolded himself and flopped onto his side.

Roxton watched in concerned amusement as the boy gingerly picked himself up off the ground and began rubbing the injured parts of his anatomy. He got a good look at the child. The boy's fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes were at odds with the Zanga style of clothing he was wearing. Roxton guessed that he was probably a Hagan, but wondered what he doing running around the tree house.

"Are you Veronica's sister?" the boy asked as he curiously peered up at Finn.

"Umm...no," she stated, the beginnings of a grin creeping on to her face. She fought down a giggle as he absently rubbed his behind. "I'm Finn, and this is Roxton."

"Oh," the boy said, craning his neck to get a good look at the tall hunter before turning back to Finn. "You're sure you're not Veronica's sister? You kinda look like her," he helpfully added. When she bit her lip and nodded, he wandered over to stand in front of Roxton. "What are you doing here?"

"We live here," Roxton answered, staring at the child. The boy looked very familiar, yet he was unable to say where or when he would have met the child. There was something about this situation that made him feel wary. _**Someone should be here with him**_, he thought to himself. **_It's simply not safe, even inside the fence, to allow him free run of the area without any supervision_**.

The boy began to hop up and down with excitement. "I live here too!" he merrily announced as he did a little dance.

"You live..._here?_" Finn asked, taken aback by his answer. She exchanged startled glances with Roxton. Where on earth did this little kid come from?

His cheery attitude faded as he wrinkled his brow. "Are you sure you live here? I live here and I haven't seen you before, and you said you're not Veronica's sister. And Veronica and Challenger said that I live here, but you don't know that I live here so..." the boy trailed off, examining them again before shaking his head. "Nope," he stated authoritatively. "I don't think you live here." He firmly planted his hands on his hips, acting like a little barrier between them and the tree house. He seemed to be practically daring them to move him.

"Hey," Finn indignantly protested, unconsciously mimicking his stance. She was tired, she was hungry, and now this little invader was taking it upon himself to be the gate guard. How dare this little pipsqueak tell her that she didn't live here! "You know what? I _do_ live here. I've lived here longer than you, and I've never seen you before. How do I know that _you_ live here?"

The boy looked at her like she had grown a second head. "Because Veronica said so," he simply said, as if that answered everything.

Finn's retort died on her lips as Veronica came striding up to the group. "There you are," she huffed, her face a mixture of relief and irritation.

The boy let out a little sigh, his body posture becoming submissive as he watched Veronica approach. "Uh oh," he mumbled under his breath, not looking up at her.

"I thought I told you to stay by the garden," she scolded, ignoring Roxton and Finn.

"I know but..."

"No 'buts'." Veronica got down on one knee so that she was eye level with him. Reaching out, she gently tilted his head up so that he was looking at her. She couldn't help but sigh herself as tears began welling up in his blue eyes. "We talked about this. You need to stay where I can see you, okay?"

He nodded miserably as scrubbed his face with his fist, sniffling a little. "I'm sorry. We were playing and I forgot." Roxton couldn't help but smile as he noticed the dirt marks that the boy put all over himself. "I'm really sorry."

"That's okay," she said, flashing him a small smile. "I'm not mad. You just scared me a little." She gave his shoulder a reassuring pat as she stood up. "Why don't you go help gather up our garden tools while I talk to Roxton and Finn," she suggested as she gave him a gentle push in the direction of the garden.

"Okay," he chirruped, flashing her a sunny smile as he trotted out of sight.

"Uh, Vee...who was that?" Finn asked, feeling very confused.

Veronica flashed the duo a strained smile. "It's a long story. Why don't you go up and get cleaned up? Challenger should have lunch just about ready."

Roxton frowned as he watched Veronica's not-so-subtle attempt to edge in the direction the boy had gone. Unlike Marguerite, Veronica's actions and body language were very straightforward and easy to read. Her unusually tense posture and evasive behavior was setting him on edge. "Is everything all right? Is the boy in some kind of trouble?"

"No! No trouble," she answered, far too quickly for his liking. He flicked a glance over at Finn, who also looked a little unnerved. "We found him two days ago, not far from the house." Veronica looked over her shoulder before turning back to her friends. "It's a really long story. Why don't you go up and we'll be-"

Shrill childish giggles erupted from behind the tree, followed by loud shriek and then silence. "I've got to go," Veronica said, slowly walking backwards towards the garden. "We'll see you inside." Turning, she sprinted away, yelling "What are you doing?" as she disappeared.

"Oh-kay, that was weird," Finn muttered, shaking her head. They entered the elevator and she looked over at Roxton, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I'm gonna assume it's not real common for you guys to find little kids out in the jungle. I mean, in all the time I've been here, we've gotten our fair share of monsters, freaks, and weirdoes but no kids."

Roxton nodded grimly. "We've only once ever come across a baby in the jungle. It was an abandoned Trog infant. Veronica found it, named it Tommy, and brought it home."

"Ugh," Finn gasped, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "A Trog baby! Why would she bring home a Trog baby? What did you guys do with it?"

"Marguerite and I missed that particular incident. According to Summerlee, the Trog infant looked like a normal human baby, and had been abandoned by its parents because of its unusual looks. To be honest, the baby was gone by the time we got home. I never saw it."

"A Trog baby," she repeated as the lift creaked to a stop. "That's just gross."

"Finn, is that you?" Challenger called from the kitchen.

"No, it's the Tooth Fairy," she whispered to Roxton with a devilish grin. "Yeah, it's me," she answered in a normal voice. She exchanged her pack for the game bag and headed for the kitchen. "We got a pig this morning. That's why we're late."

Roxton chuckled to himself as he quickly finished putting away the equipment. As he listened to Finn's steady stream of chatter, he strode out into the living area, fully expecting to find Marguerite reading or working on some mending. His steps faltered as he scanned the empty room. **_Knowing Marguerite, she's probably resting in her room until lunch. I'll just go surprise her_**, he thought, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Approaching as silently as possible, Roxton crept into her bedroom. His teasing words died on his lips as he noticed the lack of the room's occupant. As he heard the rumble of the descending elevator, he realized the most likely source of Veronica's uneasiness. The poor blonde must have been worried about leaving the boy alone with Marguerite. He chuckled to himself. Even after having been together for all this time, Veronica still fretted about many aspects of Marguerite's personality. She must have been worried that Marguerite would skin the boy alive over whatever had caused that shrieking. Watching the group exit the elevator promised to be very amusing.

"…So that's what we did," Finn concluded as Roxton came into view. She snatched up another carrot stick and popped it into her mouth, ignoring Challenger's disapproving glare. "Where'd that little goober downstairs come from?"

Challenger's knife paused in mid-stroke before continuing to cut mangos. "Little 'goober' ?"

She rolled her eyes, huffing in exasperation at having to explain herself yet again. "That boy who was down with Vee. Where'd you find the little refugee?"

Roxton saved Challenger from answering as he walked over the to table and surveyed the fruits and vegetables laid out for lunch. "I see Marguerite's managed to escape cooking detail yet again," he playfully griped. He reached for a carrot stick but stopped when he saw the look Challenger shot him.

"Yes, well," Challenger said, clearing his throat. "All things considered, we thought it for the best."

Noticing that Challenger was busy with Roxton, Finn took the opportunity to grab a handful of mango cubes and quickly ate them. "You never answered my question," she prompted as she licked the last lingering traces of juice off of her fingers. "Where'd that little kid come from?"

Challenger refused to look up as he resumed his work. "I assume you ran into him then?"

"You could say that," Finn laughed, a lopsided grin on her face. Leaning against the counter, she watched as the last few mangoes were efficiently turned into a neat little pile of cubes. "Vee said you guys found him two days ago and that it was a long story, but she forgot to tell us what his name is." She paused, giving him the opportunity to fill them in, then frowned in annoyance when he remained silent. Suddenly, the answer dawned on her. "You don't know what his name is, do you?"

The annoyed expression on Challenger's face provided all of the confirmation she needed. With a delighted clap, Finn pushing off the counter and rocked on her feet. "Can we call him David? He looks like a David. Or maybe a Daniel. Can I name him, puh-leaze?" she pleaded, clasping her hands in an imploring gesture.

"No, Finn!" Challenger practically barked, making both Finn and Roxton jump. He forcefully put the knife down with a loud thud. "The boy is not some stray animal. He has a name. We know what it is. How could we not, since he hasn't stopped talking since we found him." Taking a deep, calming breath, he continued. "This whole situation has been very…difficult for us, especially Veronica. To say that young Edward has been trying is an understatement. And Marguerite…." He looked up at his fellow explorers and noticed their thunderstruck expressions.

Both Roxton and Finn's thoughts were going a mile a minute. They were rapidly piecing the scant information together, and were reaching a most distressing conclusion. Veronica's discomfort, the boy's distinctly European and familiar features, and his name-young Edward. Roxton was the first to recover. "George, you can't possibly mean that…I mean, that boy isn't…you're not saying…." he asked, his voice strained as the elevator began its ascent.

Challenger stared at him as if he'd sprouted a second head until he figured out what Roxton was hinting at. "What? You think that….Oh, no! No! Heavens, no!" Recoiling, he flushed and looked extremely embarrassed. "I'm making a terrible muddle of this whole thing," he muttered to himself. Settling into his familiar 'lecture mode', he began again. "First of all, young Edward is not the offspring of Ned Malone. He is Ned Malone." He held up a hand to forestall any interruptions. "We're not sure how, but two days ago, Ned and Marguerite went out into the jungle to look for…something. We're not exactly clear on that yet. Veronica and I went looking for them, and we found Marguerite and Ned, who you've already seen."

He looked over his shoulder as the sound of children's laughter became audible. "Whatever you do, try to remain calm. We're looking for an explanation for this. Its not as bad as it seems."

"Challenger, what are you telling us? What's wrong with Marguerite?" Roxton growled as he moved toward the elevator.

Before anyone could speak, the elevator creaked to a stop and the passengers stepped off. "Hi," Ned called as he rushed forward.

Veronica froze as she noticed everyone's expressions. "I guess it didn't go very well, did it."

Roxton's attention was riveted on the enchanting little girl who was doing her best to hide behind Veronica. "Marguerite?" he croaked.

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A/N: Well, what do you think?


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who asked me to continue and for being so patient. I love your feedback and I'm grateful that you've all stuck it out to this point. You have my solemn vow that I will eventually finish this story. Hopefully sooner rather than later, assuming that some of the characters start cooperating with me.

Also, _Superman_ doesn't belong to me. He belongs to Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, DC Comics, and whoever they're letting license him. I'm not making any profit at all so please don't sue me.

Here it is, totally un-beta'd...

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Chapter 5

At the sound of his voice, Marguerite pressed her herself against Veronica's leg in a determined effort to make herself invisible. Roxton stared at the tiny girl who peeked up at him from under a riot of dark curls. He could see heartbreakingly familiar gray eyes warily watching him as he flexed his hands, fighting the urge to drop to his knees and pull her towards him. As much as he wanted to, there was no denying that the girl was a very young Marguerite Krux.

Noticing Roxton's unnerved expression, Veronica gave him a wan smile. She gently detached the clinging child and pushed her forward a bit. "Marguerite, Ned, these are my friends, Roxton and Finn. We talked about them, remember?"

Ned, oblivious to the tension in the room, had climbed up on to a chair and began to help himself to some lunch. He paused, a spoonful of mango hovering over his plate as he looked at Finn. "I met them downstairs," he proudly stated as he smiled at her. "I still think you look like Veronica's sister."

Finn returned the smile and decided that the boy had the right idea. There was no sense it letting the food just sit there. Everyone could eat and talk at the same time. Besides, Challenger had put out some of her favorites and she was starving. With a wink, she put a few slices of meat and some bread on her plate.

After closely watching Finn create a sandwich, Ned assembled one of his own. Beaming, he mimicked her single-hand grip as he held it up to show her. Finn fought the urge to giggle when he promptly lost half of its contents onto his plate. Taking pity on the boy, she quickly reassembled the sandwich and cut it half.

Marguerite said nothing, her gaze flicking between the two men standing before her. In spite of Challenger's encouraging nod, she was clearly uncomfortable with Roxton's continued scrutiny. She tried to creep closer to Veronica again.

The older blonde put a restraining hand on her shoulder, halting the retreat. "Can you say hello to my friends," Veronica requested in an overly-cheery voice.

"Hello," Ned caroled at the table, waving with his sandwich. Unfortunately, his mouth was full of food and he showered himself and the table with crumbs. Finn laughed and nearly choke on her own sandwich.

Marguerite stared at the floor before squaring her shoulders and facing Roxton. She obediently sketched a quick curtsy. "How do you do, Mister Roxton," she said, her voice barely about a whisper.

"Please to meet you," Roxton reflexively answered before realizing who he was talking to. Frowning, he turned to Challenger. "Why am I introducing myself to someone I have lived with for over four years?" he demanded, raising his voice. His initial shock was quickly turning into anger.

"Because she's small. Are the rest of you going to eat or not?" Finn asked, boredom creeping into her voice.

Challenger craned his neck to watch Marguerite. She shrank back against Veronica, anxiously twining her fingers in her hair as she watched the adults. After two days with her, he knew that Marguerite was very eager to please and that any show of displeasure put the girl on edge. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, but she still looked distressed.

Roxton ground his teeth, frustrated by the entire situation. Marguerite was a child and no one could tell him how that happened. On top of that, she kept looking at him as if he was a monster. Instead of doing something useful, all he got from the others was discussions about food. Why were they talking about food when there were more important things to discuss? He glared over his shoulder at Finn. "How can you **_possibly_** think of food at a time like this?"

Unconcerned, Finn dug through the fruit bowl. "Easy, I'm hungry. Hey, grapes!" Pulling out the bunch, she plucked one, tossed it in the air, and caught it in her mouth.

Ned's grin practically split his face in two. "Neat! I want to try!"

"Open your mouth," she ordered as she tugged another grape free. The boy immediately complied and she lobbed the grape in his direction. It bounced off his forehead and he giggled as he clapped his hands over the damp spot. Finn couldn't help but laugh too. "Okay, let's try again. Open your mouth **_real_** big and say 'ahhh'…"

"Really, John, you must calm down," Challenger admonished. He attempted to steer the seething lord towards the table. "Why don't we sit down and discuss the situation."

"You'll forgive me, George, if I'm not in the mood to sit down and enjoy lunch," Roxton snapped. "What I want to know is, what happened, what do you know about this… this…condition, and what can we do to fix it."

"I'm sure this seems bad…."

"You're bloody well right it seems bad!" he roared, glaring at the scientist. Everyone froze; their startled expressions made him feel all the more beastly.

Veronica, having had dealt with the situation for two days and now at the end of her emotional reserve, began yelling at Roxton. "What is wrong with you! Do you think you're the only person who is upset? Do you think these past two days have been easy on Challenger or me? We're worried too, but we're doing the best we can!"

Challenger winced at the livid expression on her face. "Veronica, this isn't going to solve anything…."

"Go ahead. Tell me, Veronica. I'd be very interested to hear what's been done so far. Surely working in the garden will help us fix this problem," Roxton shot back as he stepped closer. "We all know that gardening usually solves things. If I was worried about my friends being turned into children, I wouldn't be searching thorough journals or talking to the Zanga. I would spend my morning working in the garden."

Veronica open and close her mouth in shock, unaccustomed to this type of sarcasm from Roxton. She stepped forward and closed the gap between them. "You have no idea how hard this has been. _You_ try taking care of two five year olds who have no idea who you are!"

Oh, this is going to be bad, Finn though as she slunk down in her seat. A quick glance at Roxton confirmed that the situation was going to get far worse before it got any better.

She couldn't help but feel bad for the kids. It's not their fault this is happened and they shouldn't have to listen to this.

"Okay, you know what? You two fight if you want to but we're not gonna hang around," Finn loudly warned the other adults. She nodded her head at the boy sitting across from her. "Let's go Ned." Moving quickly, she gathered up some food and piled it in a bowl. She handed the bowl to Ned as she grabbed a pitcher of fruit juice.

Roxton and Veronica remained engrossed in their fight. Rolling her eyes, Finn walked over and began steering Marguerite towards the elevator. Ned followed on their heels as he carefully carried lunch. "We'll be back when things calm down," she called out to Challenger.

Finn absently adjusted the pitcher of juice, making sure not to spill any as the elevator jostled the little group. Even the creaking of the rope as it lowered them couldn't drowned out the yelling match taking place upstairs. She sighed as Roxton and Veronica's raised voices echoed in the confined space of the elevator shaft. At least I can't figure out what they're saying, she glumly thought. A sharp tug on the leg of her shorts startled her. She fumbled with the pitcher of juice, barely keeping it from spilling all over Marguerite's head. Glancing down, she saw Marguerite quickly release her clothes. "Yeah?"

"We're sorry," the little girl whispered, her eyes downcast.

"You're sorry? For what?" Finn asked, totally confused.

"For causing trouble. I'm very, very sorry." Marguerite tangled her hair around her fingers, effectively drawing it across her face like a curtain. "Please don't be angry." She was so quiet Finn could barely make out what she said.

A quick look at Ned told her that he was as distressed as Marguerite. "Oh guys, don't be upset," Finn pleaded. "Nobody's mad at you. You're not in trouble."

"Are you sure? That man upstairs was yelling about us," Ned pointed out, ever so helpfully. "He sounded mad. Really, really mad."

Finn snorted dismissively. "Roxton yells a lot. When he's happy, when he's mad, when he's worried. He's just loud. Except when he's hunting. Then he's really, really quiet."

"Promise?" Ned asked as he shifted the lunch bowl in his arms.

"Promise," Finn confidently repeated. "We were coming back from a hunting trip and he was kind of grumpy anyway. Plus, you guys surprised him. It's no big deal." The elevator touched the ground with a gentle bump. "Things will be fine. Now let's go find a place to eat."

She led the children over to a shady spot near the back of the tree. "Well, I dunno about you guys, but I'm hungry," she confessed as she sat down. Folding her legs under her, she motioned for the children to sit. Ned handed over the bowl and flopped down as Marguerite gingerly lowered herself to the ground. Both of them watched as Finn set the food bowl and pitcher in front of them. She sat back, sighing with satisfaction as the two children cautiously watched her. Finn watched them and was a little unnerved by their unblinking stares. "Well, aren't you going to eat?" She motioned at the bowl.

Ned looked down at the bowl, then at Finn. "With what?" he asked, confusion written on his face.

"With your fingers, what else?" She demonstrated by picking up a piece of mango and popping it into her mouth.

Marguerite gave Ned a dubious look, but the boy simply shrugged and reached for the remaining grapes. With a small sigh, she primly folded her hands in her lap.

Finn paused as she watched the interaction. "Aren't you hungry?" The small girl nodded as she sadly looked at the bowl. "Well then, why aren't you eating?"

Marguerite straightened her back and took a deep breath. "Only urchins eat with their fingers. It is impolite and improper for a young lady to do so," she recited, her words clipped and precise.

"Oh," Finn responded, unconsciously wiped her hand on her shorts. She thought about Marguerite's problem before coming up with a solution. "You've noticed that this isn't like the place you were before, right?" She waited for the girl to nod before continuing. "Well, in this place, it's okay for you to eat with your fingers. And since I'm an adult, you have to listen to me, right? So I'm _telling_ you to eat as much as you want with your fingers."

Marguerite cast a fleeting look at Finn then leaned forward towards the bowl. A small pale hand reached for a piece of thinly sliced meat. Her fingers brushed it, then she quickly pulled her hand back before finally picking up the meat. Holding the meat with her thumb and index finger, she shook it for a second before turning it over and examining it from another angle.

"Marguerite, eat with your fingers," Finn ordered in a mock-stern voice.

The girl snapped her head up, an alarmed look on her face. She clenched her fingers, squashing the piece of meat. Finn could see the panic in her eyes and flashed the girl a friendly smile. "Whoa, relax. You're not in any trouble. Everything's cool. Just eat your lunch." Inspiration suddenly hit, the perfect way to get her new charges to forget the fight upstairs and allow them to relax a bit. "Hey, do you guys like stories?"

Both children eagerly nodded. "Okay, here's one I bet you've never heard before. Once upon a time, there was a planet called Krypton. Krypton was a beautiful, peaceful planet full of artists and scientists. The only problem was that the planet was about to explode and only one man knew about it."

"How come nobody else knew?" Ned asked as he picked through the bowl.

Moving quickly, she snatched up the last grape cluster from the bowl before he noticed it. "Because the planet's computer said nothing was wrong," she explained as she efficiently stripped the grapes from their stems.

"What's a computer?" He tilted his head to the side, a puzzled expression on his face.

"It's a machine that helps people do science and math and stuff. It can…." Finn paused for a moment, studying the children sitting across from her. "Never mind, it's not important. Anyway, nobody would believe Jor'El that their planet was doomed, so the scientist did the only thing he could think of. He put his baby in a rocket and sent him away to save him. As the rocket flew away, the planet blew up."

Ned's eyes were huge. "Wow," he breathed. "What happened to the people?"

"They all died," Finn said solemnly. "The only person left from Krypton was the baby in the rocket." She noticed that he had stopped eating as he listened to her. "Don't play with it, just eat it."

Without missing a beat, he stuffed part of a roll in his mouth. He chewed briefly before swallowing. "That's sad," he said, trying to match her somber tone.

"Wait, the story gets better. I promise."

"What happened to the baby?" Marguerite timidly asked. She tore a off a small strip of meat and daintily nibbled on it.

Finn smiled, relieved that the girl was getting involved. "The baby's ship crossed the cold, dark depths of space and crashed in a field in Kansas. A nice couple saw the ship crash and went into the field. They were very surprised to find a beautiful baby boy. The husband, Mr. Kent, was a little afraid since they saw the ship come out of the sky. But his wife, Mrs. Kent, was very happy. The Kents didn't have any kids and Mrs. Kent had wanted a baby really bad. So Mrs. Kent talked Mr. Kent into taking the baby and keeping him. She named him Clark Kent…"

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A.N: So, what do you think?


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Yes, I _finally_ updated. Hopefully, by the end of the summer, I'll have this story all wrapped up. So I can start on the next one. beg For those of you who are reading this, thanks for sticking with it. And thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far. I really appreciate it.

This chapter is totally un-beta'd so any mistakes are my fault. Oh, and before I forget denotes thoughts. Enjoy!

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Chapter 6

"You did too."

"I did not."

"You DID TOO."

"I DID NOT."

"YES, YOU DID!"

"NO I DIDN'T!"

"DID TOO!"

"DID NOT!"

"Guys, give it a rest! We're almost upstairs now." Finn's tired voice came from the elevator shaft.

"He did it on PURPOSE!" Marguerite's voice rose until she shouted the last word.

"I DID NOT!" Ned yelled at the top of his lungs.

Veronica smothered a grin at the weary tone in Finn's voice. She could imagine how tired her friend was after chasing around a pair of five year olds for several hours. Wiping the paint from her hands, she began walking over to greet the little group. As the exited the elevator, she froze, horrified by the sight that greeted her.

Finn was spattered with mud and grass, her hair standing up in messy clumps, and she was caked with mud to her knees. Mud covered Ned's face, his hair, and saturated his clothes. Marguerite's back was coated in mud, and her hair was a sodden, muddy mess. Before she could say anything, a seething Marguerite pushed Ned out of the elevator. "YOU DID TOO!" she screeched.

Ned shoved her back in retaliation. "DID NOT!"

Finn quickly intervened before things could escalate. Grabbing each child by a shoulder, she separated them. "That's enough," she said firmly as she gave them a gentle shake, which caused a small shower of mud to fall onto the floor. "You two need to chill out all ready. So apologize and get it over with."

"I don't see why I have to apologize," Marguerite mulishly muttered as she folded her arms across her chest. "He started it."

Ned groaned melodramatically as he threw his head back. "Buuut Finn…." he whined at the young woman. "I didn't do it on purpose."

Marguerite gasped in indignation. "Yes you did," she vehemently insisted. "You knew it wouldn't work but you did it anyway."

Ned planted his hands on his hips and leaned towards Marguerite. "Nuh-uuuuhhhh," he countered. "It was an _accident_. I thought it would work."

She narrowed her eyes as she glared at him. "Are you from Krypton?"

He leaned back a bit, obviously thrown by her question. "Noooo. I'm from New York."

"And is your name Clark Kent?" she persisted, aggressively leaning towards him.

Ned snorted, his defensive attitude evaporating. "You know it's not," he reminded her. "My name is Edward Malone."

Marguerite flashed him a knowing look. "Then you can't fly."

He rolled his eyes as he heaved a sigh. "I know that _now_. That's why I had to do the 'speriment. I'm supposed to 'speriment so I learn things." Spotting Challenger on the couch, the boy turned to him for confirmation. "Tell her Challenger! Tell her how important it is to 'speriment so you can learn things."

Challenger, who had been surreptitiously watching the drama over the top of his book, cleared his throat and looked up. He fought down the urge to laugh at the scene before him. "Yes, Edward, I did tell you that it is very important to experiment," he solemnly said.

Marguerite ineffectively brushed at the mud on her clothes. "But I'm filthy and dirty because of his experiment!" she wailed, a tearful treble in her voice.

Veronica finally sprang into action. "I don't know happened and I don't want to know," she said in a steely voice. "Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to take Marguerite to the shower. You two," she pointed at Finn and Ned, "are going to stand right there and NOT MOVE until I get back." She motioned for Marguerite to come with her. With a final warning glare over her shoulder, she marched the girl out of the room.

Challenger walked over to the remaining pair and looked them over. "What on Earth happened to you?" he asked Finn.

Ned answered for her. "We had lotsa fun with Finn. We ate lunch with our fingers and Finn told us a story about Superman! Do you know about Superman?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "After the story, we showed Finn where we helped Veronica with the garden today. Oh and I found a spider but nobody wanted to look at the spider but me. Then we showed Finn where the pipe was making a puddle. We showed Veronica but she made us come upstairs to have lunch. Not Finn! She told us not to touch the pipe sowe went and visited the goat while she fixed it. 'Cept the goat tried to eat Marguerite's hair. So she started crying, and I thought that she wouldn't have cried if Superman was here," he narrated, getting more and more animated as he continued. "But Superman would have to fly to get to us. Then I wondered if I could fly too. So I did a 'speriment to see if I could fly! Except my 'speriment didn't work and we got all dirty. And when Finn saw us, she said 'Oh crap!'".

Moving quickly, Finn reached out and clapped her hand over his mouth. "That's enough outta you," she nervously chuckled as she glanced over at Challenger. His disapproving stare did nothing to reassure her.

"Okay, look," she said, her tone slightly defensive, "I told them a story about a superhero who flies. While I was busy with the pipe, Ned here decided to see if he could fly. So he climbed on one of the tables and jumped off." Finn tilted Ned's head back so she was looking him in the eye. "Of course he didn't fly because he's not Superman," she said, emphasizing her words. Letting the boy go, she looked back over at Challenger. "He landed too close to Marguerite, they both got knocked off balance, and they fell into the puddle. No big deal, really."

Challenger looked over the filthy pair again while he processed their story. Deciding to overlook Finn's slip of the tongue, he focused on the most important problem. "The main water line is leaking?"

"No, not the main line. That second line for the garden is leaking, just a little," Finn replied with a shrug. "I put some of that glue over the crack and it stopped. But you and Roxton might want to look at it later, do something a little more permanent to it."

"I see." He paused for a moment, trying to process the absurdity of the situation. In all of their time on the plateau, this was by far one of the more…interesting thing they had experienced. Unsure how to respond to Ned's zealous 'experimentation', Challenger thought of his own grandfather. As he pictured the man's firm and steady gaze, he recalled Grandfather's favorite question. "And what did you learn from your experiment, young man?" Challenger asked, the amused quirk of his lips belying his stern tone.

"That Marguerite doesn't like to be muddy," Ned promptly answered. "She hit me when we were getting up." He pointed out the injured area of his arm.

"I guess some things never change," Finn said, grinning at Challenger. "Now that we've learned not to get Marguerite muddy, what else did you learn?" When Ned gave her a blank look, she prompted, "The most important thing you learned was…."

He sighed dramatically, letting the adults know what his admission was costing him. "I learned that I can't fly and I won't try any more."

"Good boy," Finn praised, patting him on his head. "So what happened while we were having our adventures?" she asked Challenger, who watched the scene with a sense of paternal amusement.

Challenger gave her the abbreviated version that consisted of a brief run-down of Roxton and Veronica's argument, followed by Roxton's retreat into his bedroom and Veronica's absorption in her painting. "Our afternoon had been exceedingly quiet until you three came upstairs again," he finished with a knowing smile.

Ned reached up and scratched at the drying mud on his forehead. "I'm getting itchy," he complained as several layers of mud flaked off of him.

"Then it's a good thing we're finished," Veronica said as she shepherded Marguerite back into the room. "I want you two to go directly to the shower. You," she pointed at Finn, "will make sure he gets clean and washes his hair. Because running water on your hair does not make it clean." She fixed Ned with a pointed glare as she vigorously dried Marguerite's hair.

"Yes, Mother," Finn drawled, winking at Ned as she herded him from the room. "Come on, it's time to get clean."

Veronica sighed as she continued to rub Marguerite's head with the towel. Challenger laughed as Marguerite tried to peek out from the folds of the material, only to be swallowed up as Veronica steered the girl to one of the chairs in the living area.

When Veronica sighed again, Challenger returned to his seat on the couch. "What's bothering you, my dear?"

Veronica shook her head as if trying to dispel her gloomy mood. "Oh, it's nothing, really. I guess I'm just feeling a little tired. I'm not used to having to be the mother, especially to people who are my friends."

"Yes, well, I can see where that might be slightly…peculiar," he said, choosing his words with care. As if on cue, a little eye peered out at him. "However, you've done an amazing job with them so far. In fact, I dare say your mother would be quite proud of you if she could see you right now."

Veronica stopped, startled by Challenger's statement. "You really think so?" she asked, her voice quavering just a bit. "Oh Challenger-"

The rest of her sentence was lost in the angry cry that came from the shower. "YOU GOT SOAP IN MY EYES!" Ned howled, loud enough to scare some of the birds from the nearby trees. "OWWWW! IT BURNS!"

Without saying another word, Veronica sprang from her chair and sprinted in the direction of the shower. That left Challenger and Marguerite alone in the living area.

After a few moments of silently watching each other, Challenger picked up his book and opened it. As he read, he heard Marguerite cautiously approach the couch before climbing up near him. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She was sitting ramrod straight with her hands folded in her lap. He could see that she was also watching him out of the corner of her eye.

"What are you reading?" she finally asked, breaking the silence.

Challenger closed the book as he turned to look at her. "It's a botany journal." Seeing her blank expression, he tried again. "A book about plants and flowers."

She brightened, smiling at him. "I like flowers. Especially roses, even though it's hard to pick them."

"Would you like to look at this book with me?" Challenger asked, since it seemed like the polite thing to do. Besides, Marguerite had been very guarded around men since they had brought her home. This was the first time she had tried to initiate any sort of activity with him. It wouldn't do to simply rebuff her attempt at socializing.

She nodded eagerly and scooted closer to him. Challenger lifted his arm and she sidled up against him. Slowly, so as not to startle her, he put his arm around her shoulder and opened the book to the appropriate page. "This," he began in his best lecture voice, "is a picture of _Symphytum officinale, _which is more commonly known as comfrey or knitbone. I'm sure you've seen it back home in England, growing in ditches and along rivers and such." He pointed to the picture on the page. "This really is a superior illustration of the plant but Veronica's parents were quite talented. See how its light pink or light purple flowers grow in clusters and are shaped like bells. When we gather comfrey, the important part of the plant is…." Challenger glanced down at the small girl who had fallen asleep, cuddled against his side. She looks so peaceful sleeping, it really would be senseless to move her now and wake her, he thought as he smoothed down an errant strand of hair. Having made up his mind, he resumed his reading. Really, its not so difficult to keep an eye on them, he thought smugly as he turned the page.

tbc

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Author's Note: Yes, again. The information on comfrey comes from http/ which is a wonderful resource for people who are botanically-challenged like me.

I tried to keep everyone in character, but this is how they came out. So, what do you think? Reviews might actually make the next chapter appear more quickly.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Yes, it _is_ an update! You can all thank my beta, arscapi, for this prompt (well, for me it is) addition. Her constant help (and threats) really helped motivate me.

Yes, this one is very short. Since I ended up scrapping what I had started with and let it evolve into...this. We're getting very close to the end. I think there might be only one more chapter to wrap this up.

And since Fanfic keeps eating any symbols I put in,_ italics_ denotes thoughts. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 7

For the next week, every day was a new adventure. At least, it seemed that way to Finn. They had tried everything they could think of to help Marguerite and Ned. Veronica had gone and talked to the Zanga and several other nearby tribes. Roxton had visited and revisited the glen, only to come home frustrated and empty-handed. Challenger had run so many tests that even Ned was hesitant to go down into the lab anymore. And personally, Finn thought she would scream if she had to read one morepage of a journal.

So far, nothing had worked. Just this morning, Veronica had mentioned that maybe there wasn't anything they could do, which had Roxton stomping around and bellowing about not giving up on them. As much as she agreed with him, Finn knew that Challenger was fresh out of ideas, which was never a good thing. _Besides_, she thought as she watched Marguerite and Ned play an energetic game of 'Tag', _it's been kinda nice with them like this. Would it really be that bad if we can't change them back? _It's not like they would know the difference since they apparently didn't remember their adult lives and having the two children around had been interesting.

Okay, yes, having the two of them around was a lot of work, Finn admitted to herself. And, occasionally, they did strange and random things that made no sense to anyone but themselves; like Marguerite's refusal to eat papaya because she insisted it smelled like feet, or Ned's unwavering belief that some strange and hideous creature lived under his bed. It didn't matter how many time she or Veronica checked, only Roxton with gun in hand could look under the bed and assure the boy that it was monster-free. _At least Ned's monsters aren't as creepy as Marguerite's sleepwalking._ She shuddered as she recalled the first night she and Roxton had been back.

They'd been making progress and things were slowly returning to normal…sort of. Marguerite had stopped trying to hide from Roxton. He had even submitted to a tea party in his efforts to draw her out. Veronica had filled her in on the details, but the mental image of the rugged hunter hunkered down at one of the low tables, nibbling on cookies and making 'polite' conversations while Marguerite poured them tea was almost too much to handle. She'd missed the actual even itself since she'd taken Ned out to gather some fruit. "And it's not like we didn't have our own adventure with Henry," she admitted with a snort.

A childish squeal got her attention. Once again, Ned was charging straight at her with Marguerite hard on his heels. "Hey! No way! NO!" she loudly commanded as she threw her hands up in the universal 'stay way' gesture. "I already told you, I am not the 'safe' spot so stop running this way!"

As usual, they ignored her, devilish grins spread across their faces. She braced herself for impact, only to have the giggling twosome veer off at the last possible second. Marguerite, feeling particularly brave, reached out and ghosted her fingers along Finn's arm.

Finn couldn't resist the temptation. With lightening fast reflexes, she reached out and caught Marguerite around the waist. In one fluid motion, she lifted the child clean off the ground and tucked her under her arm. "Ha ha ha, you two are funny,' she mocked as she used her free hand to tickle the squirming child. "I told you two to stop running by me, but nooo…you didn't listen. Now, you are my prisoner and face the terrible tickle torture!"

Marguerite's howls of laughter filled the air, making Finn smile. "Ooooh no!" she teasingly cried as the girl squirmed in her grasp. "Who will save you?"

"I will!" Ned bellowed, striking a heroic pose in front of them. He planted his hands on his hips and glared at Finn.

The older blonde gasped in mock fear, holding Marguerite to her chest like a human shield. "No! Not…Super Ned!"

"Help! Help me!" Marguerite's 'desperate' plea was ruined by a fresh round of giggles.

Out of the corner of her eye, Finn saw Ned take a running leap at them. Shifting Marguerite, she caught him with her free arm. Once she had a good grip on the two, she collapsed to the ground in a tangle of arms, legs, and bodies. Quickly sitting up, she grabbed Ned in a bear hug and began tickling him. "I have you now, Super Ned!" she cried out in her best super villain voice. With the tables turned, it was now Marguerite's turn to try and rescue Ned. Within seconds, it had turned into a hysterical free-for-all.

x

Finn exhaled loudly as she looked down at her two charges. "I dunno about you guys, but I could use a break," she said breathily. Both of the children nodded in agreement, Ned panting to catch his breath while Marguerite wiped a few stray tears from her eyes. "So…what do you guys want to do now?"

"Tell us a story," Marguerite cheerfully demanded as she rolled onto her back.

"Yeah, a story," Ned eagerly echoed as he looked at Finn. "A good story. A story about pirates!"

Finn frowned at the boy. "I always tell you good stories," she insisted indignantly. She turned to Marguerite for confirmation. "I tell good stories."

The pixie of a girl nodded. "I like your stories."

"See, she likes my stories." Finn pointed at Marguerite, who was still nodding.

"I like your stories," Ned said defensively. "But the last ones were girl stories, about princesses and…and kisses and stuff!" He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Finn smothered a laugh at Marguerite's indignant huff. The girl's eyes narrowed as she looked at the boy. "Okay, okay," she said, cutting off the argument before it could get started. "I think I have a story that'll make both of you happy. Everybody get comfortable."

The little group move, assuming what Roxton jokingly called 'story telling position'; Finn sitting with her back braced against something, Marguerite leaned against her side, and Ned laying sprawled across her legs. Finn shifted, finding a comfortable spot against the trunk of the tree house. "All right. A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…"

Ned rolled onto his stomach and raised himself onto his elbows. "I thought stories were supposed to start 'Once upon a time'."

Finn raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you telling this story or am I?"

"Sorry." He settled down again.

"Anyway, a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, there was this young guy named Luke…."

**TBC**

Author's Note 2: Neither _Star Wars _or the characters involved belongs to me. It belongs to George Lucas. Even if I hated _Episodes 1-3_ and it feels like he's trying to destroy parts of my childhood. I am making no money, so please don't sue me Mr. Lucas.

Also, for those of you who are wondering about the scenes Finn talks about in this chapter...believe it or not, most of those are written. Sort of. I just couldn't figure out how to work those into the chapter. Plus, I wasn't sure about the characterization of them and they didn't really advance the plot. So if you're interested, I may throw them up. Eventually. :)


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